When I first started selling stickers, Amazon seemed like the perfect place to begin.
It gave me access to millions of customers, a trusted platform, and a relatively easy way to launch my first products. As a new seller with a growing passion for creative stickers, it felt like the obvious choice.
And honestly, in the beginning, it was exciting.
Seeing my first product go live, receiving my first orders, and watching customers discover my designs was incredibly rewarding.
One of those early products holds a special place in my journey because it was the first step toward building Doodle Knot. Check out the first sticker that started it all →
It felt like Doodle Knot was finally taking its first steps into the world.
But as time passed, I began to understand the realities of selling on a large marketplace.
The Hidden Costs of Selling on Amazon
Many people assume that once a product starts selling, the journey becomes easier.
In reality, that was only the beginning.
Every sale came with multiple fees. There were referral fees, shipping charges, advertising costs, and other expenses that slowly started eating into the profits.
One thing that surprised me was the shipping cost.
Out of curiosity, I compared Amazon's shipping charges with several independent courier services. In many cases, I found that the courier rates available directly from logistics providers were significantly lower than what I was paying through the marketplace.
Then came advertising.
As competition increased, running ad campaigns became almost necessary to maintain visibility. While ads helped generate sales, the costs added up quickly. Month after month, the advertising bills continued to grow.
The Challenge of Pricing
As a new seller, pricing became one of the biggest challenges.
The sticker market is highly competitive, and customers naturally compare products before making a purchase. Raising prices wasn't always an option because there were countless similar products competing for attention.
To stay competitive, I often had to keep my prices lower than I would have preferred.
The result was a difficult balancing act:
- Keep prices competitive.
- Absorb increasing fees.
- Continue investing in advertising.
- Maintain product quality.
Like many new sellers, I found myself working hard while seeing a significant portion of revenue disappear into marketplace costs.
Realizing the Need for Something More
Over time, I realized that I wanted more than just a storefront.
I wanted a place where I could tell the story behind my designs.
A place where customers could learn about the inspiration behind Doodle Knot.
A place where I could share creative ideas, design journeys, travel inspirations, and the process behind each sticker collection.
Most importantly, I wanted a direct connection with the people who support my work.
Marketplaces are great for discovery, but they don't always allow creators to build meaningful relationships with their customers.
That's when the idea of creating my own website started to take shape.
Why DoodleKnot.com Exists
Doodle Knot.com isn't just another online store.
It's the home of the brand.
It's where I can share the journey behind the products, publish stories, showcase new collections, and connect directly with customers who appreciate creativity and original design.
Building a website gives me the freedom to focus on what matters most:
Creating better products.
Sharing meaningful stories.
And building a community around creativity, self-expression, and art.
Looking Ahead
My Amazon journey taught me valuable lessons about e-commerce, competition, pricing, and persistence.
I'm grateful for everything I learned along the way because those experiences ultimately led me to build something of my own.
DoodleKnot.com is the next chapter of that journey.
If you've followed along from the beginning, thank you for being part of the story.
And if you're discovering Doodle Knot for the first time, welcome.
This is just the beginning.
— Sachin